Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Mar 2003

Vol. 562 No. 6

Written Answers - Rail Services.

Seán Ryan

Question:

134 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Transport why there is a delay in the delivery of the 80 railcars - Arrow type - the first of which was to be in operation in May or June 2003, which would improve the capacity on the northern suburban line; if there have been problems with the delivery of the carriages; and if a further order has been placed with the manufacturers for similar carriages. [6882/03]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

Iarnród Éireann has advised me that the first four-car set of the 80 diesel railcars arrived in Dublin on 21 January 2003. Commissioning of these, which was due to begin on 3 February, has been delayed following the discovery of a fault in the gearbox of the cars in the plant of the manufacturer CAF in Bilbao, Spain. The cause of this defect has been identified and CAF is rectifying it at its own expense.

The next four-car set is scheduled to arrive on 7 March 2003 and this will be used for series testing and commissioning. In the meantime, the gearbox defect will be corrected on other trains. Commissioning and testing of each train will take 12 weeks to complete. I have been advised that the vehicles will be delivered at a rate of three trains per month and delivery will be completed in September 2003. The first train is due to enter service in June 2003 and all trains will be available for service by the end of year.

Technical audits of certain NDP public transport projects are under way and the difficulties that have been encountered with the diesel railcars are being reviewed as part of these audits which will include a confirmation of the timetable for entry into service.

In November 2002, Iarnród Éireann placed an order with CAF for 67 new inter-city rail carriages, which are to be delivered in 2005.